Beginning Readers

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Book Review of How To Be A T. Rex by Ryan North

When my boys were little, they loved dinosaurs. They could tell you the names of all the dinosaurs, and they could even tell you all about them. Was it a carnivore or an herbivore? They could tell you that. I loved it. Of course I tried to encourage it by giving them dinosaur books and toys. I even made a valance for their window out of dinosaur fabric. Long story short, they would have loved this book! Although most of our dinosaur books are now torn and well-loved, we still have them. This will make a fun addition to our collection. Read all about it in my book review of How To Be A T. Rex by Ryan North.

Blurb:

“Sometimes being a regular human is a REAL DRAG. That’s why, when Sal grows up, she’s going to be a…

TYRANNOSAURUS REX!

What’s that you say? Humans can’t become dinosaurs? Well, I’ve got some news for you…”

My Book Review:

As I said before, this book will be a fun addition to our dinosaur book collection. It’s so cute! The illustrations are well done; they are bright, and colorful, and funny! The characters have great expressions. I also like the formatting with the fonts and the speaking bubbles.

The story is clever and funny. Sal wants to be a Tyrannosaurus Rex when she grows up. Who doesn’t, right? I mean they’re big and scary and they probably get anything they want because of it. And they can get away with lots of stuff us normal humans can’t. They ROAR whenever they want to, they eat whatever they want to, and they’re not afraid of anything.

But apparently there are also a few downsides to being a T. Rex. What?!?! There are consequences for not being nice? There are consequences for not caring about the little humans’ feelings? Dinosaurs can be sent to their rooms? Are you kidding me??

Is it too much to ask to be 100% awesome 100% of the time?

(Haha! I LOVE that line!)

Maybe there are a few things that the precious humans can learn from awesome dinosaurs, and ferocious dinos can learn from the little humans. Sal learns some great lessons in this book! I love how witty this book is. It’s fun, it has some important lessons in it, and I think the kiddos will love it! My book even came with a super fun poster! This is a very fun book and I think it would make a great addition to any home or classroom library. Beware, though—this may be the next book that you read over and over and over!

Content Rating: G (Clean!)

Age Recommendation: Everyone

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review of Kitty Stuck by Emma Pullar

Even though my kids are older and I’m not teaching first graders anymore, I still love children’s books. My niece and nephew came and stayed at my house this week. It was so fun! My nephew is four and my niece is two. They are adorable! My kids had a lot of fun playing with them. We went to the lake and played in the water and sand, and we spent hours swinging and jumping on the trampoline. Night time was super fun because each of them chose a picture book to read before bed. I was in heaven! I’m still reading The Princess Bride to my kids—it’s taking us forever to finish—and that’s fun, but it’s not the same as the picture books! So I was excited to join the blog tour for Kitty Stuck. I hope you enjoy my book review of Kitty Stuck by Emma Pullar.

Blurb:

“Here kitty kitty…Kitty is a calamitous cat who keeps finding himself in sticky situations. Luckily, his loving family helps him get unstuck.”

Kitty Stuck is Emma Pullar’s second children’s book. Her first, Curly from Shirley, was a national bestseller and named best opening lines by New Zealand Post. Upon her return to the UK, Emma shifted her writing focus to writing dark novels for adults. Recently, when inspired by her 12 year-old daughter Beth’s drawings of the family cat Rupert, she took up her pen and wrote Kitty Stuck.

Beth, a talented and dedicated young illustrator, hopes to use her royalties to develop her work by investing in art supplies, software and education.

A Spark in the Sand is dedicated to encouraging young people to pursue their dreams, both by publishing works created by young people and through books which engage their imagination and inspire them to ‘Dream Big and Work Hard’. Kitty Stuck, being illustrated by 12 year-old Beth, was a perfect fit for the publishing company’s ethos. We hope to encourage more young people to pursue their passion in this way.”

My Book Review:

I think it’s darling that a mom and daughter duo wrote this book! How fun! Wouldn’t it be exciting at 12 years-old to tell your friends you’re a published illustrator? Kitty Stuck is a cute story about a cat that keeps getting stuck. He gets stuck in so many places! I would get frustrated if I had to keep getting my kitty out of sticky situations, but not this family! They calmly pick him up, unwrap him, untie him, and get him out of wherever he’s stuck. They all seemed patient except for Dad. He did yell, “Drat!” at one point. That’s more realistic.

My favorite place he was stuck was in the bowl. That illustration is super cute. The illustrations and words are very simple, but they’re cute. My daughter loved finding the little mouse on every page; she thought that was a fun idea.

I didn’t love reading the book on my Kindle, though. Children’s books are 100 times better to read when holding a real book. You’re in luck! I checked on amazon and this book is out in paper, so hooray! I’d get it in paper for sure. The littles will love the cute pictures of the kitty.

This is a cute book that little children will enjoy!

Rating: G (Clean…unless you count the muck they have to clean off the cat–haha!)

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Book Review of Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell

There are lots of picture books out there, and I love a lot of them! Some are funny, some are soothing, some are cutesy, and some teach lessons. This book falls in the last category. I love the lesson it teaches; it’s a big one! I hope you enjoy my book review of Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell.

Blurb:

“Adrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse–the best and most beautiful horse anywhere.

But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?

The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn’t get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.

Written with tenderness and poignancy and gorgeously illustrated, this book will show readers that kindness is always rewarding, understanding is sweeter than judgment, and friendship is the best gift one can give.”

My Book Review:

I love the illustrations in this book! They are beautiful! This book was illustrated by Corinna Luyken, and I love her style. It’s part whimsical, part old fashioned, and part childish (in a good way). The people have great expression, it’s full of bright colors, and the illustrations fit perfectly with the story line. I am very impressed with her work.

The story line is reminiscent of The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. It shows how mean and judgmental children can be, but also how forgiving and loving they can be. Sometimes we need to help children get out of their small world and show them that there are all kinds of people out there. We need to show them that everyone has a story, a history, and a desire to be loved. Children need to know that each and every person is unique, important, and has divine worth and potential. And sometimes, parents need to learn those lessons too.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how big your house is. It doesn’t matter where you grew up or where you live now. It doesn’t matter what kind of car you drive or if you wear the latest fashions. What really matters is how you treat people and how you live your life. Do you have integrity? How do you treat your family members, your neighbors, your co-workers, or those who may have less than you? Is someone worth less because their net worth is less than yours? Do you work hard and try to make the world a better place or do you put others down to make yourself greater?

These lessons are deep for a children’s book, but they are poignant and important. Lots of amazing bedtime chats will stem from reading this book. I love books that entertain, are beautiful, and teach an important lesson. This book does all of the above. I highly recommend this book! It would be perfect for either a home or classroom setting. Ooooo…this would be a great way to start the school year!

Content Rating: G (Clean!)

Age Recommendation: Everyone

My Rating: 4.5/5

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review of The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story by Darcy Pattison

Lately it seems like there has been a lot of discussion about fake news stories. I don’t think I’d heard much about fake news stories until just a few years ago. Because they have been focused on, it makes it seem like printing fake news stories is a new thing. Apparently it’s not! Which sadly makes me feel better. In 1937 there was a story printed about a sea monster off of the coast of Nantucket. Was it real? Were the people of Nantucket doomed to live in daily fear for their lives? Find out more in my book review of The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story by Darcy Pattison.

Blurb:

“Do you believe everything you read in the newspaper? Early in August 1937, a news flash came: a sea monster had been spotted lurking off the shore of Nantucket Island. Historically, the Massachusetts island had served as port for whaling ships. Eyewitnesses swore this wasn’t a whale, but some new, fearsome creature. As eyewitness account[s] piled up, newspaper stories of the sea monster spread quickly. Across the nation, people shivered in fear.

This nonfiction picture book is a perfect story to start discussions about non-political fake news stories.”

My Book Review:

I haven’t ever heard of this story before! I’m glad that Ms. Pattison has brought it to life for us to learn from. I think the story is well written. It explains the story well and is easy to read and understand. The fact that it’s a nonfiction picture book is great, of course.

The illustrations are a little different, but are bright colored and fun. It does have the feel of an earlier time; say maybe 1937? I think they’re well done, and I like the layout of the pages with the speech bubbles, the big headline font, and the quote boxes.

Reading this book to a class (or family) would be a great way to start a discussion about non-political fake news stories. It offers a safe way to discuss the pros and cons and the whys of fake news stories. I think it would be fun to split the class into two and have one half write real news stories and the other half write fake news stories. Then try to figure out which ones are which. It’d also be fun to have kids create their own sea monsters.

If nothing else, it’s a fun way to get kids interested in reading about history!

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Prevent Summer Brain with Summer Fit Workbooks!

Remember last fall when the kids went back to school and had forgotten most of what they’d learned the previous year? It’s called…Summer Brain.Ouch! All of that work–gone. How do you prevent Summer Brain? You have to be a mean mom and make the kids use their brains this summer. I know, it’s hard. I’ve grown callous to the mean summer mom eye rolls because I’ve been doing it for so long. It’s a good thing, I promise.

I’ve tried a few different things like printing off my own packets, workbooks, and online programs. I finally settled on the Summer Fit workbooks. It’s so easy and mom friendly!

Why Use Summer Fit Workbooks to Prevent Summer Brain?

I have used the Summer Fit workbooks for a few years now, and I LOVE them!!! They have a level for each grade in elementary school (they start with pre-K and go to 8th grade), which is great. The workload is the perfect amount. Each day there is a page of reading and a page of math. It isn’t super hard, but it is hard enough to keep the kids from forgetting everything over the summer.

I love the Friday material. Every Friday is a value (compassion, determination…..that kind of thing), and it highlights a person who exemplifies that value. The kids do activities surrounding that value and person. Also, each day has an exercise for the kids to do. It’s not hard, but it gets them up and moving. And the great thing about these books is that it eliminates all the mom-work. There’s no searching the internet or printing off individual worksheets; it’s all right there in the book. It makes mom’s job so much easier!!! They even have a book for 7th and 8th graders, which is great because it’s harder to know what the older kids need. I highly recommend the Summer Fit workbooks!

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Book Review of Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman

When I taught first grade, one of the things I would stress to parents was the importance of rhyming. As a kid I learned all of the nursery rhymes and repeated them often. Rhyming is an important skill for beginning and early readers to master. I love it when rhyming is emphasized in children’s books because it reinforces that skill. So did this book live up to my expectations? Find out in my book review of Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman.

Blurb:

“Someone stole Hammy’s hat…and replaced it with a cat!

And Marlow’s happy smile…became a crocodile!

What rhyme crime is next? Is anyone safe? Good thing YOU are on the case!

From the creator of SPLAT! Comes more playful, irreverent, kid-empowering fun—with a rhyming twist.”

My Book Review:

Rhyming is such an important skill for beginning and early readers, so I love it when children’s books contain rhyming. I love the idea of this book. It has a very clever premise, and it’s funny. I mean, what kid wouldn’t laugh at a hat being replaced by a cat? Or by a smile being replaced by a crocodile? I know my kids and I would spend 15 minutes after reading this book laughing at all the other rhyme thefts we could come up with.

The mistake the thief makes is classic. Oops! I know my kids would enjoy that part too. So this book has a lot of good things going for it. I like the premise, the rhyming, the story, and the humor. Unfortunately though, I do not like the illustrations. They’re weird and kind of creepy. They might scare the children they should be entertaining. I don’t know though, because some of the cartoons that are popular right now also have weird looking characters. So maybe it’s just me.

Overall, I like this book. I wish the illustrations were a little less creepy, but other than that I think it’s a fun book. The rhyming is good and the humor makes it fun. It would make a good addition to any home or school library.

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Book Review of Sleep Train by Jonathan London

One of my favorite things to do is read to my kids before bed. I love that time we share together. Children’s books are especially fun to read because we can take the time to look at the illustrations. I hope you enjoy my book review of Sleep Train by Jonathan London.

Blurb:

Night is falling.

A steam whistle softly calls.

A yawn begins.

It’s time to slip under the covers

And catch the sleep train. . . .

I count the ten sleepy cars

instead of counting sheep.

And I’ll count those cars

until I go to sleep.

My Book Review:

I have mixed emotions about this book. On one hand, I like the idea of the book. It has a cute premise. The little boy is in bed at home, and instead of counting sheep to go to sleep, he counts the train cars. His imagination puts him on the sleep train to help him doze off. On the other hand, I didn’t love the execution. It’s supposed to be in rhyme, and a lot of it is. However, I’m not sure what happens with some of it because the rhyming just isn’t there. It’s kind of in and out, and the formatting isn’t consistent.

I like many of the illustrations and their dream-like feel, but I’m sorry…the little boy looks a little creepy when he’s on the train. He looks fine in the beginning when he’s in his room, but once he’s on the train, he looks like one of those creepy marionette or ventriloquist puppets. I do like the illustrations of the train and its cars though.

The most important part of a children’s book is if the kids will like it. I think they will still enjoy it despite its flaws. Many children love trains, and those children, especially, will have fun with this book.

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Book Review of Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs by David Soman and Jacky Davis

I am a sucker for children’s books! I love them! Maybe it’s sentimental; it goes back to when I was a child and my mom read to me. In any case, I still love children’s books even though my kiddos are all getting big. They love them too because they’ll still pull out the picture books and read them occasionally. Please enjoy my book review of Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs by David Soman and Jacky Davis.

Blurb:

“At the farmers’ market, Lulu spies some adorable furry friends. These rescue dogs need to be brushed, played with, and given water. But more than anything, they need forever homes! Lulu can’t adopt all the dogs herself, but maybe Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad can work together to make a difference. This might be their most important mission ever!”

My Book Review:

Where have I been? Did you know there are already 11 Ladybug Girl books? This book makes number 12. She is so cute! If I ever go back to teaching first grade, I’ll need the whole set for sure! The illustrations in this book are adorable! My niece’s name is Lucy and we call her Lulu, so I think Aunt Monica better give this book to her for her birthday!

Along with darling illustrations, Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs also has a great message. Lulu sees the dogs that don’t have homes and wants to help. Of course, her mom says no to adopting them all, so she needs to think of other ways to help. I like that Lulu is helpful in the story. She doesn’t wait around waiting for directions, she takes initiative.

Lulu gets the dogs water, brushes them, and plays with them. At this point she’s joined by the Bug Squad who helps her in her mission. The impromptu dog parade is my favorite part. I like that this book teaches children to help without being asked. It also teaches children that even though they are small, they can still help change the world in small ways.

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Book Review of Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back by Jory John

Have you ever experienced that annoying itch that won’t go away? It’s the worst when you can’t reach it! You’re trying to scratch it with a pen or a wooden spoon handle, but nothing works. That’s what happens to Elephant in this story. Poor guy. I hope you enjoy my book review of Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back by Jory John.

Blurb:

“This elephant has an itch.

Can any of the other animals help him scratch his back?

Dynamic duo Jory John and Liz Climo present a hilarious and heartwarming(ish) tale of perseverance, creativity, and helping others (well…most of the time).”

My Review:

This is such a cute book! I love the adorable little elephant. The illustrations are well done and so darling. I like the font too. Is that weird? Did you know I have a secret love of different fonts? I know, I’m crazy. A lot of the pages in this book are very simple. There’ll just be one little picture with a speech bubble, but it works well. All the different animals are so fun. My favorite is the crocodile; he’s hilarious! I love his big grin. And elephant’s reaction to him is perfect. Oh, the sloth is great too! Haha!

Elephant gets more and more desperate with each page you turn, and he gets more frustrated too. With his frustration, he may get a little more cranky as well, which is understandable. So sometimes he’s not as polite or as grateful as he should be. This is the perfect opportunity for parents and teachers to talk about manners and being grateful when people help us.

I think this is a darling story. Even though my kids are big, I think I’ll read it to them. My nine-year-old will still enjoy it, at least! This book will make a great addition to any home or class library. And now please excuse me while I go scratch my back (all this talk about itches is making my back itch)!

Book Review of Bus! Stop! by James Yang

Everyone who knows me, knows how much I love children’s books. There’s just something about a children’s book that takes you back to your childhood. I still love reading them to my kids even though my kids are bigger now. So, whenever the opportunity to review a children’s book comes up, I jump on it. I thought the concept of Bus! Stop! by James Yang sounded fun, so I said I would review it.

Blurb:

Wait!

A boy has just missed his bus.

Good thing other buses are stopping.

But they don’t look like his bus.

And the bus riders look different too….

Should he try another bus?

Stop! Bus!

My Book Review:

I thought this book sounded so cute! Many people, including me, have had to run for a bus only to see it drive away. It’s always a stressful situation because you have to find a schedule to see when the next (correct) bus will come. You could be late for work or school, so you’re worried about that. Will the next bus be on time? How long will I need to wait? All those things run through your mind. It would be even worse as a child.

When the boy in the book misses his bus, he stays there and waits. He’s all alone (where is his mother?), and he ends up waiting. Several different buses pass, and each one looks completely different. The passengers look different too. Some of the buses look more fun than his bus does, but he keeps waiting. He waits all day. It’s now dark (again, where is his mother?), and a bus passes by that looks fun. The boy decides to take that bus, so he gets on, and away he goes!

The illustrations in Bus! Stop! are different. They’re not cutesy; they are fantastical, but also a little strange. I do like the bright colors of the illustrations, and I like the creativeness. The words are repetitive, so it does help beginning readers, but they are also quite sparse. There’s not much to read. I wish that there was a bit more to the story.

My main concern with this book is that this small boy is left alone all day long, and then he just gets on some random bus and goes. He doesn’t know where he’s going, and no one else knows where he is. I understand where the author is going. He’s saying that sometimes we need to think outside the box and try something different and fun. Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but I don’t think this context is the place to do that. Children can’t just get on random buses and explore. It’s a good lesson for a different context. This would be a good opportunity for parents to discuss rules and safety.

It is a fun book to discuss creativity, how people are unique and have different styles, and what to do if you miss your bus. I think it would also be the fun start to an art project about creative ways to get where we want to go (transportation).

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